A nurse is assessing the level of consciousness of a patient who has sustained a head injury in a motor vehicle accident. The nurse notes that the patient appears drowsy but the nurse is able to wake the patient by gently shaking and calling the patient by name. What level of consciousness would the nurse document?

A. Placing the nurse's feet close together side by side to have a good center of gravity:

While maintaining a good center of gravity is important, in a falling situation, it's crucial to prioritize the client's safety over the nurse's stability. This option doesn’t address the prevention of the client’s fall.

B. Rocking the nurse's pelvis out and trying to hold the patient up to prevent falling:

Attempting to hold the patient up during a fall may put both the nurse and the client at risk of injury.

C. Grasping the gait belt and pushing the client’s body backward away from the nurse's body:

Pushing the client backward could cause the client to lose balance and fall in an uncontrolled manner.

D. Using the patient's gait belt to gently slide the client down the nurse's body to the floor:

This is the recommended action as it allows for a controlled descent to the floor, minimizing the impact of the fall and reducing the risk of injury to both the client and the nurse.

A. Defining the legal scope of nursing practice:

The nurse practice act in each state defines the scope of practice for nurses, outlining what nurses can and cannot do within the legal boundaries of their profession. It specifies the duties, responsibilities, and limitations of nursing practice within that particular state.

B. Lobbying federal lawmakers to advance professional nursing:

While nursing organizations and associations may engage in lobbying efforts at the federal level, it's not a direct component of the state's nurse practice act.

C. Providing continuing education programs:

While states might require nurses to participate in continuing education for license renewal, the provision of continuing education programs itself is not a direct element of the nurse practice act.

D. Creating institutional policies for health care practices:

Institutional policies are typically developed by healthcare institutions or organizations and are separate from the state's nurse practice act.